Today, it is necessary for Industrial, Commercial and Home users (ICAHUs) of tools and systems, including but not limited to electrical tools, electrical appliances and computer systems to work safely and efficiently. Often, cords, hoses or cables, including electrical cords, may accidentally unplug themselves or disconnect in the course of everyday use; thus, creating an inconvenience and possibly a safety hazard. To avoid said cords, hoses or cables from unplugging. ICAHUs often tape cords, hoses or cables together or take time to “wire them” or “rig them” together, tie them or just connect them together and hope they don't become accidentally disconnected. Cords, hoses and cables becoming disconnected can be hazardous, such as in the loss of power to a device, and scrambling around to connect cords, hoses or cables that become disconnected can be time consuming. For this reason and others, this present invention, a cord, hose and cable fastening (CHCF) system and method will easily accommodate and facilitate that said cords, hoses and cables used by ICAHUs stay connected during use.
ICAHUs need to work safely and efficiently. For example, an electrical device needs to remain plugged-in to be able to receive electricity to function. Time used to plug-in electrical devices that become unplugged is wasted. ICAHUs also may need to move within a work environment in which cords, hoses or cables may become snagged or caught on objects and could become disconnected. With the CHCF system and method, ICAHUs can easily fasten cords, hoses and cables together, including but not limited to, cords on electrical devices to assure they remain connected.
In addition, because of the need for ICAHUs to work safely and efficiently, companies such as Home Depot, Ace Hardware, Home Club, Sam's Club, K-Mart, Sears, Stanley, Loews, Wal-Mart and Costco, may more-than-likely desire to sell the cord, hose and cable fastening system and method that is comprised in this invention. This can be sold as a stand alone product or in combination with cords, hoses and cables, including but not limited to electrical cords and power devices, and cords attached to power tools.
Moreover, in addition to assuring that cords, hoses and cables remain connected during use, a need also exists for a system and method to help secure the cords, hoses and cables before and after use and to attach said cords, hoses and cables to objects or even to themselves. An example is the need for a typical construction worker who needs a system and method to attach lengthy and heavy extension cords or cables to his or her work truck at the end of the day and to have said cords and cables remain secure and in place. Another example is the need for a person to wrap a cord or cable after use and to securely fasten said cord or cable to a shelf or its resting place.
Heretofore, inventors have not created and developed a system and method for facilitating cord, hose and cable fastening that will fit easily on standard cords, hoses and cables, including but not limited to standard electrical cords, and that will actually hold them securely during the stresses and demands encountered in a work environment. This invention permits said ICAHUs to employ the CHCF system and method easily with many types of cords, hoses and cables, including standard, electrical cords that typically contain male and female connectors or plug ends that fasten by fitting the male connector into the female connector by using direct pressure without the need for any twisting of the connectors or their parts. This invention also allows ICAHUs to employ said CHCF system to secure said cords, hoses and cables by securing said cords, hoses and cables to another, to itself or to an object including but not limited to a work vehicle, and storage place or other object.
U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2003/0157824 (Ito, August 2003), expressly incorporated herein by reference, relates to a method for a Power Cord Connecting Set which is similar to a cord fastening system and method. This existing art is for specific type of plug set, both male and female, and is not able to be easily fastened to existing standard electrical cords without replacing the actual plug ends of said electrical cords with specialized and customized plug ends. Moreover, the existing art will not allow itself to be easily removed from one set of electrical cords and then transferred to another without either heavy modification, and/or the possibility of ruining the existing set of plug ends. The existing art is specifically a type of complex plug end that is not simple in nature as opposed to this present invention which is not a plug end but instead a cord, hose and cable fastening system that will not require the modification or alteration of plug ends and that may be easily moved from cord, hose and cable sets to others.
U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2003/0139085 (Chia Hsien, July 2003), expressly incorporated herein by reference, relates to a method for an Electric cord connector kit which is not similar to the cord, hose and cable fastening system and method of this present invention, in that the electrical cord connector kit is a kit used to “splice” together actual electrical cords and to join then together by crimping them, and is not designed to “connect” and “disconnect” or to hold standard cables, hoses and cords in place, for their easy and subsequent disconnecting after use. This existing art is for permanently joining together electrical cords and is quite different form this present invention in design and scope.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,044,976 (Thomson, 1991), expressly incorporated herein by reference, relates to an electrical cord holding device that possesses a hook-and-loop fastening mechanism that protrudes from, and is secured to, a cover plate, and a reciprocal second portion of a hook-and-loop fastening mechanism that is clamped onto a power cord, wherein the first and second portions of the hook-and-loop fastening mechanism assist in retaining a plug within an outlet. This existing art is specifically for connecting electrical cords into wall outlets and is entirely different in its scope and design from this present invention that is designed to securely maintain that cords, hoses and cables are connected together, with a focus on cables, hoses and cords that are standard, such as including but not limited to on electrical extension cords and electrical devices, such as is the engagement of a female plug head of an extension cord to the male plug head of a corded power tool or appliance.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,348,495 (Kasden, 1994), expressly incorporated herein by reference, relates to an “electrical cord plug lock assembly having a special electrical socket face plate with a pair of laterally spaced locking brackets extending outwardly from its front surface adjacent the opposite sides of the socket aperture.” This existing art is specifically for connecting electrical cords into wall outlets and is entirely different in its scope and design from this present invention that is designed to securely maintain that cords, hoses and cables are connected together, with a focus on cables, hoses and cords that are standard such as including but not limited to on electrical extension cords and electrical devices, such as is the engagement of a female plug head of an extension cord to the male plug head of a corded power tool or appliance.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,547,390 (Laherty, 1996), expressly incorporated herein by reference, relates to an “electrical plug securing device provides a length of material and embodies appendages into which are formed slots”. This existing art is specifically for connecting electrical cords into wall outlets and is entirely different in its scope and design from this present invention that is designed to securely maintain that cords, hoses and cables are connected together, with a focus on cables, hoses and cords that are standard such as including but not limited to on electrical extension cords and electrical devices, such as is the engagement of a female plug head of an extension cord to the male plug head of a corded power tool or appliance.
U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2004/0166718, (Yoest, Daniel, August 2004), expressly incorporated herein by reference to a method for a power cord plug securing device is somewhat similar in purpose to the cord, hose and cable fastening system and method of this present invention, in that it is a system and method for securing power cords together; however, the existing art by Yoest claims the use of a “clasp member” that is “substantially U-shaped” in order to attach itself to an electrical cord, and in the present invention, a collar mechanism is used that is more secure. Also, in the existing art by Yoest, said “clasp member comprises a trough region with retaining walls extending therefrom, said retaining walls terminating in inwardly projecting ends for securely maintaining the portion of the power cord immediately aft of the plug head within said through region” which is markedly different from what is claimed in this present invention, in which a collar mechanism is used. Moreover, the existing art claims a device in which “at least one of said trough region and said retaining walls are at least partially textured or ribbed for increased frictional association with the portion of the power cord retained therein” which indicates that texture and ribbing are employed to create friction as a means of attaching a clasp to a power cord and retaining said power cord; however, in this present invention, what is claimed is the attachment of a collar mechanism to connect to a cord, hose or cable which is markedly different and uses pressure created by the use of fasteners and/or a snap-together hold to accomplish securing said collar mechanism to said cord, hose or cable, which is expected to secure more strongly to said cord, hose or cable than said existing art and therefore will out-perform said existing art. Moreover, existing art claims a “securing strap” which is formed out of one-piece that is also is joined by a “clasp member” on each respective end. Said “securing strap” is not adjustable and is a singular piece which posed two problems: 1) because said “securing strap” is not adjustable it may not fit on a myriad of power cords that employ different types and sizes of male or female plug ends; and 2) because said “securing strap” is a singular piece, it may be prone to failure in that it would be weakest in retaining connected cords when pressure was applied from the direct edge of the “securing strap” that was opposite from the cord, then when applied inward toward said cord. This present invention claims collar ties that are superior to “securing straps” because they are adjustable and therefore will fit a myriad of cords types and sizes. Moreover, this present invention claims the use of multiple collar ties so that they will be able to withstand the pressure that is applied to cords hoses and cables in a work environment, such as construction or carpentry, without having them become disconnected. Furthermore, this invention claims a collar mechanism that is markedly different from the existing arts claim of a “clasp member” that is “substantially U-shaped” employing a “trough region” in that said “clasp member” of existing art allows for said cord to be unseated and thereby removed from said “trough” of the “clasp member” when exposed to pressure, since it does not close around said cord and allows said cord to “pop-out”—thereby failing in its objective; whereby, said cord, hose or cable will not be allowed to become either unseated or removed from said collar mechanism of the present invention when exposed to pressure since said cord, hose or, cable is fully enclosed by said collar mechanism—thereby succeeding in its original purpose and objective.
An existing product is available called the “Kord-O-Loc” that uses two “L-shaped” pieces of plastic with serrated edges that lock together in an attempt to fasten electrical cords together; however said product rests on the back of the electrical cord plug ends, does not securely attach to the cords and is easily disconnected if the cords are pulled away from each other, particularly with a small amount of force in which the cords will “pop out” of said product.
An existing product is available called the “Kord Manager Cord Lock” that uses one “S-shaped” piece of plastic in an attempt to fasten electrical cords together; however said product rests on the back of the electrical cord plug ends, does not securely attach to the cords and is easily disconnected if the cords are pulled away from each other, particularly with a small amount of force in which the cords will “pop out” of said product. This product may damage or destroy said cords, and may fail in its objective if said cords are pulled away from each other with force.
Accordingly, existing inventions describe methods and systems for assuring that electrical cords remain plugged-in or connected, but there does not appear to be an invention that possesses all the features and components of our system and method for delivering a cord, hose and cable fastening solution as in this present invention. To summarize, the systems and methods of the existing inventions have one or more of these disadvantages:                Existing art is not easy-to-use and requires modifying plug ends of electrical cords.        Existing art requires replacing standard plug ends on cords with specialized or customized plug ends and therefore cannot be easily removed from one cord or device to another.        Existing an employs the use of “clasps” to attach to a plug that rely on friction; but that ultimately will allow cords to “pop-in” and “pop-out” of said clasp as pressure is applied, thereby failing to secure said cord if it is dragged or pulled during working conditions and an obstacle or impediment snags said cord creating pressure on “clasps”.        Existing art employs clasps that are “open” in that they do not surround the cord they attach to but allow the cord an area in which it may “pop-out” of said clasp when under pressure.        Existing art employs a singular securing strap that is not adjustable and therefore will not fit numerous types and sizes for male and female connectors and other connectors as are used on multiple cord configurations.        Existing art employs a singular securing strap that will not allow it to offset pressure paced upon cords when they are under stress during work conditions.        Existing art is not sufficiently strong enough to be used under work conditions, such as at a construction site, where tools are heavy, cords and cables are pulled tight, and fasteners that may fail can create a safety risk.        Existing art does not intelligently solve the problem of securing and fastening cords before and after the cord is used in a work setting.        